The Chelsea Detective is set to return to UK screens this month, with U&Drama now being confirmed as the home for the crime drama's fourth season.
Adrian Scarborough (Gavin & Stacey) is back as DI Max Arnold, the classical-music-loving, houseboat-dwelling detective picking his way through murders among Chelsea's wealthy set.
The series first launched in 2022 and has built a steady following as a cosy but sharply cast procedural. Scarborough, whose credits also include Killing Eve and Blandings, remains one of the show's central draws as the quietly methodical Arnold, once again being joined by Vanessa Emme, who stars as his professional partner DS Layla Walsh.
It's been confirmed that season 4 kicks off on U&Drama on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 September at 8pm, bringing four new feature-length cases to British audiences. The season was green-lit by Acorn TV and ZDF, and has already premiered over in the US on Acorn TV earlier this summer. So, British fans will undoubtedly be happy that there isn't too much of a wait till the new instalment hits our very own screens.
According to the official synopsis, DI Max Arnold and DS Layla Walsh "return to tackle four new murders within the elite world of Chelsea".
Read more:
Scarborough returns as Max Arnold alongside a familiar team. Lucy Phelps is DC Jess Lombard and Peter Bankolé returns as DC Connor Pollock, with Sophie Stone as Ashley Wilton and Frances Barber as Olivia Arnold also among the returning cast.
The new run keeps the show's signature formula of standalone murder investigations set against Chelsea's moneyed backdrop. The opener, Death on the Aether, sees a body pulled from the Thames that is later revealed to be an undercover journalist investigating a fashion mogul's household.
The subsequent cases take in a gangland shooting and a missing earl in The 13th Earl, a death in a beauty salon in Beauty Costs, and an architect thrown from a hotel balcony in the finale, The Petrov Extension. So, plenty to look forward to!
Want to see this content?
This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.
The Chelsea Detective is on U&Drama at 8pm on Wednesday 16 September 2026.
Add The Chelsea Detective to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews listen to The Radio Times Podcast.